PS2704 

16 

1914 


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TO 
/IY  FRIEND 

ES  WHITCOMB  KILE5T 


TO  MY  FRIEND 


TO  MY  FRIIEND 


JAMES  WHITCOMB  RILEY 


Decorated  by 
Emily  Hall  Chamberlain 


THE  BOBBS- MERRILL  COMPANY 
PUBLISHERS 


Copyright,  1883.  1888.  1891.  1910.   1913.  19H 
JAMES  WHITCOMB  RILEY 


TO  MY  FRIEND 


ER  forty  year 
and  better 

you  have 
been  a  friend  to  me, 


Through  days  of 
sore  afflictions  and 
dire  adversity, 


W-r  ,  L  .  ..; 


You  allus  had  a 
kind    word    of 
counsul  to  impart, 

Which  was  like  a 
healin'  'intment  to 
the  sorrow  of 
my  hart. 


At  the  last  Old 
Settlers'  Meetin' 
we  went  j'intly, 
you  and  me 


Your  bosses  and 


my  wagon,  as  you 
wanted  it  to  be; 


And  sence  I  can 
remember,  from 
the  time  we've 
neghbored  here, 

In  all  sich  friendly 
actions  you  have 
double-done  your 
sheer. 


:.f*jdks»  "V 
i'^&t' 


h. 


It  was  better  than 
the  meetin',  too, 
that  nine-mile 
talk  we  had 

Of  the  times  when 
we  first  settled 
here  and  travel 
was  so  bad ; 


-,   .    i      - .  -,  - 


When  we  had  to 
go  on  hoss-back, 
and    sometimes 
on  "Shanks's  mare/' 


And  "blaze"  a  road 
fer    them    behind 
that  had  to  travel 
thare. 


And  now  we  was 
a-trottin'    'long  a 
level  gravel  pike, 


In  a  big  two-hoss 
road-wagon,  jest 
as  easy  as  you 
like— 


1 


.  ,  _  I 

,'  '< 


Two  of  us  on  the 
front  seat,  and  our 
wimmern-folks 
behind, 

A-settin'  in  theyr 
Winsor-cheers  in 
perfect  peace  of 
mind! 


-    ...  . 


L\J 


I 

I 

I 


\Tr 


SN 


Ways  was  devius, 
William  Leachman, 
that  me  and  you 

has  past; 


p. 


But  as  I  found  you 
true  at  first,  I  find 
you  true  at  last; 


dWuvymreR 


And,  now  the 
time's    a-comin' 
mighty  nigh  our 
jurney's  end, 

I  want  to  throw 
wide  open  all  my 
soul  to  you, 

my  friend. 


With  the  stren'th 
of  all  my  bein', 
and  the  heat  of 
hart  and  brane, 


And  ev'ry  livin' 
drop  of  blood  in 
artery  and  vane, 


-  "{ 


love  you  and 
respect  you,  and 
I  venerate  your 
name, 


Per  the  name  of 
William  Leachman 
and  True 
Manhood's 
jest  the  same! 


APR  H  1983 

DATE  DUE 


•V 

AUG 


1  1989 


PS2704  T6  1914 

Riley,  James  Whitcomb, 

1916. 
To  my  friend, 


1849- 


UC  SOUTHERN  REGIONAL  LIBRARY  FACILITY 


AA    001  267  578    1 


